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“The goal of our action was to stop predations on livestock in the near
future. With the pack reduced in size from 12 members to
four and most livestock off the grazing allotments, the likelihood of
depredations in the near future is low.”

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has suspended its
pursuit of the remaining members of a wolf pack that preyed on cattle
throughout the summer in northeast Washington.

WDFW Director Jim Unsworth today lifted his previous order authorizing
staff to take lethal action to stop predation by the Profanity Peak wolf
pack now that most livestock are being moved off federal grazing allotments
in the Colville National Forest.

He noted, however, that the department will continue to monitor the four
remaining wolves – an adult female and three juveniles – and will renew
efforts to remove wolves if they resume preying on livestock this year.

“The goal of our action was to stop predations on livestock in the near
future,” Unsworth said. “With the pack reduced in size from 12 members to
four and most livestock off the grazing allotments, the likelihood of
depredations in the near future is low.”

Since Aug. 5, state wildlife managers have shot and killed seven members
of the pack after non-lethal deterrence measures failed to stop the pack
from preying on cattle in the grazing area in Ferry County. Another wolf, a
pup, is presumed to have died of natural causes.

As of Oct. 3, WDFW had documented 15 dead or injured cattle, including 10
confirmed and five probable wolf depredations.

The Profanity Peak pack is one of 19 wolf packs documented in Washington
earlier this year. Sixteen of those packs – including four identified since
the previous year – are located in the eastern third of the state, where
wolves were delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2009.

Unsworth said the department’s action against the Profanity Peak pack was
consistent with both the state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and a
new protocol for the lethal removal of wolves developed this year by WDFW in
conjunction with an 18-member advisory group composed of environmentalists,
livestock producers and hunters.

Under that protocol, WDFW can take lethal action against wolves only if
field staff confirms four or more attacks on livestock within a calendar
year, or six or more attacks within two consecutive calendar years. The
protocol also requires ranchers to employ specified non-lethal measures
designed to deter wolves from preying on their livestock before WDFW will
take lethal action against wolves.

Donny Martorello, WDFW wolf policy lead, said both of the ranchers who
lost livestock to the Profanity Peak pack met that requirement by using
range riders to help keep watch over their herds, and by removing or
securing cattle carcasses to avoid attracting wolves. One rancher, he said,
also turned his calves out to pasture at a higher weight to improve their
chance of surviving an attack by predators.

Once the number of dead and injured cattle reached the threshold for
lethal action, WDFW took incremental steps to remove wolves from the pack,
as specified in the protocol.

Key events in the department’s involvement with the Profanity Peak pack
include:

Early June: Ranchers arrived with their livestock on federal grazing
allotments. WDFW field staff captured two adult members of the Profanity
Peak pack and fitted them with GPS radio-collars, allowing the
department to monitor the pack’s movements.

July 8: WDFW confirmed the first calf killed by wolves.

July 12: WDFW documented two probable wolf attacks, one of which was
on a second rancher’s allotment.

Aug. 3: WDFW confirmed the fourth and fifth wolf attack on cattle
and documented three probable wolf attacks. Per the protocol, the WDFW
director authorized staff to remove some members of the pack to deter
further depredation.

Aug. 5: WDFW removed two female wolves from the Profanity Peak pack.

Aug.18-19: The director ended his authorization for lethal removal
after 14 days without a depredation. The next day, he authorized the
removal of up to the full pack after field staff documented four more
wolf attacks, two confirmed and two probable.

Aug. 21-Sept. 29: WDFW removed five more wolves from the Profanity
Peak pack.

Oct 3: WDFW documented the last depredation on cattle by the
Profanity Peak pack.

Martorello said WDFW will continue to closely monitor the pack and will
renew efforts to remove wolves if they return to preying on livestock this
year.

Ferry County Sheriff Ray Maycumber said his staff will take a defensive
position and monitor the movements of the adult female wolf for signs of
conflict with people, pets, or livestock in lowland areas.

WDFW will issue a complete report of its management actions regarding the
Profanity Peak pack next month.

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